Round six preview: Table toppers and cellar dwellers

Round five was an attacking fan’s dream, with 118 goals scored across the three competitions.

Round six has it all –Top of the table clashes, teams both fighting to get their season back on track and teams looking to maintain winning streaks.

Will it continue to rain goals as it did in round five? Will teams learn from their harsh lessons last weekend? We’re excited to find out.

By Tyler Sunderland

NPL

SWQ Thunder FC | vs | NQ United FC

SWQ Thunder will host North QLD United FC in round six NPL action. Both sides will be aiming to overcome losses in their last game. A win in round six will see the SWQ Thunder join North QLD on two wins this season. North QLD themselves will face one of the biggest road trips in the competition as they travel to Clive Berghofer Stadium in an attempt to break a two-game losing streak.

Lions FC | vs | Western Pride FC

The Western corridor derby

Who will be named king of the western corridor? Western Pride FC have notched 21 goals in their last two games, and will hope their goal scoring form continues when they take on Lions FC. Dylan Wenzel-Hall currently leads the competition on 13 goals, and will aim to notch up a few more at Lions Stadium. Lions FC gained three points on the road trip to Mackay in round five, and will look to overtake Western Pride on the ladder, who are also on three wins.

Moreton Bay United FC | vs | Magpies Crusaders FC

Moreton Bay United will welcome the Magpies Crusaders to Wolter Park on Saturday night in their round six clash. Moreton Bay have only dropped points at home to league leaders Olympic FC this season, and will look to continue their backyard dominance. Mackay Magpies suffered a close loss to Lions FC last weekend, going down 1-0, and will be determined to bounce back.

Brisbane City FC | vs | Brisbane Roar FC Youth

Brisbane Roar Youth have impressed this season, and are currently sitting in second place. They were able to steal three points from Redlands in round five, coming from 2-1 behind at the half-time break. This week will see them travel to Brisbane City FC, who were also in the round five winner’s circle.

Gold Coast United FC | vs | Olympic FC

Gold Coast United will be set on giving Olympic FC their first loss of the season, when the Red and White travel to the Coast on Saturday night. Gold Coast will be aiming to snap a three-game losing streak this weekend, while Olympic FC would make it six-from-six with a win at Station Reserve.

Cairns FC | vs | Brisbane Strikers FC – POSTPONED, due to weather

Brisbane Strikers will be the fifth team to visit Barlow Park in 2018, when they face off against Cairns FC. The Strikers will look to their Team of the Week defensive pairing of Greig Henslee and Hiroki Omori to shut out the Cairns attack. The home team fell to Brisbane City in round five, but will be determined to overcome a Strikers outfit that would jump them on the ladder if victorious.

Sunshine Coast FC | vs | Redlands United FC

| Live stream feature |
2pm, Sunday, March 11.

The final game of NPL round six will see Sunshine Coast FC host Redlands United FC. With just one win of 2018, Sunshine Coast will be hoping to gain their second win of the season and their first at home on Sunday. Redlands themselves are also on one victory of the season, and will be determined not to make it three losses in succession.

NPLW

Capalaba Bulldogs | vs | The Gap FC

The undefeated Gap FC will kick off the round six NPLW action, when they travel from the west of Brisbane, to the east, as they face Capalaba Bulldogs. The Bulldogs shared points with Brisbane Roar FC/NTC in round five, and will look to be the first team to steal points off the Gators. The Gap proved too strong for Souths FC in their round five clash, and will no doubt be aiming to add to their tally of 27 goals in four games.

Logan Lightning | vs | Brisbane Roar FC/NTC

The other Friday night NPLW fixture will be held at Logan’s Cornubia Park, where Logan Lightning and Brisbane Roar FC/NTC will battle it out. The Roar will hope leading goal scorer Indiah-Paige Riley can add to her tally of four goals, and help spoil the party for Logan at home.

Sunshine Coast Wanderers | vs | Lions FC

Sunshine Coast Wanders were able to gain their first points last weekend, with a draw against Western Pride. They will hope to go one better when they face Lions FC at home on Saturday evening. The four-from-four Lions will most definitely have other plans, as they look to continue to set the pace for the competition.

Gold Coast United FC | vs | Mudgeeraba SC

The Gold Coast derby

Mudgeeraba SC will no doubt be going into their round six clash with Gold Coast United aware of the talented Meaghan McElligott. The GCU striker scored six goals against SWQ Thunder, and will be looking to replicate her performance. If Mudgeeraba can control the attacking potential of GCU, then a second win of the season may be on the cards.

Mitchelton | vs | SWQ Thunder FC

Mitchelton are sitting just inside the top four after five rounds, and will have no intentions of moving down, as they face SWQ Thunder at home this Saturday night. The Thunder are coming off the back of an 8-1 defeat, and will no doubt be determined to gain their first win of their season.

Eastern Suburbs | vs | Moreton Bay United

Heath Park will again see NPLW action as the Tigers and Moreton Bay United do battle. Eastern Suburbs have had a mixed year so far going two-from-four. Their opponents are in the same boat, having managed six points after four games. A win will take either side above the other, and firmly into the top half of the ladder.

Souths United | vs | Western Pride FC

| Live Stream feature |
6pm , Sunday, March 11

Sunday night NPLW action will see the South and the West collide, as Souths United host Western Pride FC. Souths United suffered their first loss last weekend, falling short against The Gap. The Green and White will look to rectify things with a win against a Pride side that shared pleasantries against the Wanderers last weekend.

FQPL

Wide Bay Buccaneers | vs | Logan Lightning

| Live stream feature |
5pm, Saturday, March 10

Wide Bay Buccaneers will have their second home game of their campaign when they host Logan Lightning on Saturday evening. The home side are still fighting for their first win of the season, and will hope a home crowd can see them over the line. For Logan, their last two games have been narrow 3-2 losses, and they will be aiming to return home with three points.

Wolves FC | vs | Eastern Suburbs FC – POSTPONED due to wet weather

Wynnum Road derby

The Tigers will head along Wynnum Road to Carmichael Park to face Wolves FC, with both teams determined to see their first three points of the season. Wolves FC will look to their two goal scorers in Alejandro Martinez and Scott Dykman to get the job done, while the Tigers will want to add more men to their scorers list, which is currently at four different goal scorers.

Southside Eagles | vs | Sunshine Coast Wanderers

Southside Eagles will once again use Perry Park as their home ground, when they take on the Wanderers of the Sunshine Coast. The tenth Placed Eagles will have to overcome a Wanderers side that has yet to be defeated, with Benjamin Lynch leading the way up front with four goals in 2018 so far.

The remaining two undefeated FQPL sides, the Holland Park Hawks and Peninsula Power, will do battle in a top of the table clash. Both sides will be looking to stamp their authority on the competition with their undefeated rivals. Peninsula Power will have to tough job of stopping in-form Hawks goal scorer Marek Madle, who has already slotted nine goals so far. Danger for the Hawks comes from all over the park, with the Power having ten different goal scorers so far this season.

Rochedale Rovers | vs | Mitchelton FC

Underwood Park in Rochedale will be the venue for the Rovers fixture against Mitchelton FC. The Rovers are coming off a 3-0 defeat and will be aiming to make amends, while Mitchelton were in the winner’s circle for the first time in 2018, overcoming Wolves FC 2-1.

Ipswich Knights | vs | Capalaba Bulldogs

FQPL’s only Sunday game will see Ipswich Knights host Capalaba Bulldogs. The Knights have had a mixed season, winning half of their games. The Bulldogs on the other hand have only dropped one game in an otherwise perfect season. However, due to the competition being as close as it is, the Knights can join the Bulldogs on nine competition points with a round six victory.